Post by shinobi989 on Dec 9, 2006 4:06:58 GMT -5
Now that you have a hand, made your raise, and have a caller(s), its time to move to the flop(note that position shift two seats as the blinds act first after the flop). Post flop play is the most pivotal point in the game as now you get cards to work with your hand. I post the following example as a good scenario.
Your in the third seat after the button on the flop. You raised 4xbb(blinds are 30/60) with Qd,Qs preflop and at a rather tight table you get three callers, which is odd considering the Gap concept(another lesson for another time). Pot size is 1050. You have 1920 after the flop; and your opponents have 1250, 760, and 3000. You are first to act on a flop of Qc, 9s, Ad. Whats your play?
There are two plays here. One is a check; because middle set is most likely the best hand with more than two callers as pocket aces are very improbable. Doing this will set up either a check call on the flop and a check rasie on the turn or a check raise flop which either you prefer if you think one of your opponents has an Ace or AQ. Another is betting out. This depends on your table presence. If you've seen a few flops with less than good hands and made a continuation bet(betting on the flop if you were the initial raiser on the flop) and have taken a few pots on the flop, someone is sure to have noticed and gotten wise. Either one will most likely get you a big pot in the long run in these situations though the results will not be immediate,
Conversely we take the same info and throw in a different flop like: 10d, Kd, Ah. What is the play now? Not easy now huh? Poker never is, but we must determine the bad from the good. The board reads two overcards(Ah and the Kd), and straight possiblity(Ah,Kd,*,*,10d; unlikely as you hold two Queens but still possible) and a flush draw( Kd and the 10d). The good side is you have a solid pair(pocket pairs still can trip on the turn or river so try to play them cheap on flops if you dont flop a set , if there is a raise of ANY kind with at least one overcard; fold), and you have a gutshot straight draw(Ah, Kd, Qs, *, 10d). There is also a back door flush draw but dont count those as real outs. What do you do here? A safe play is check. Three limpers almost guarantees at least one Ace or King out there. Another, more daring move is a continuation bet(dont go overboard on it 9 out of 10 times it will be called or raised). Only in special situations should this be made.
That is just a select situation that can happen in poker. Post some hand histories of any flop situation you want to discuss. The next lesson-Turn play early in tournaments.
Your in the third seat after the button on the flop. You raised 4xbb(blinds are 30/60) with Qd,Qs preflop and at a rather tight table you get three callers, which is odd considering the Gap concept(another lesson for another time). Pot size is 1050. You have 1920 after the flop; and your opponents have 1250, 760, and 3000. You are first to act on a flop of Qc, 9s, Ad. Whats your play?
There are two plays here. One is a check; because middle set is most likely the best hand with more than two callers as pocket aces are very improbable. Doing this will set up either a check call on the flop and a check rasie on the turn or a check raise flop which either you prefer if you think one of your opponents has an Ace or AQ. Another is betting out. This depends on your table presence. If you've seen a few flops with less than good hands and made a continuation bet(betting on the flop if you were the initial raiser on the flop) and have taken a few pots on the flop, someone is sure to have noticed and gotten wise. Either one will most likely get you a big pot in the long run in these situations though the results will not be immediate,
Conversely we take the same info and throw in a different flop like: 10d, Kd, Ah. What is the play now? Not easy now huh? Poker never is, but we must determine the bad from the good. The board reads two overcards(Ah and the Kd), and straight possiblity(Ah,Kd,*,*,10d; unlikely as you hold two Queens but still possible) and a flush draw( Kd and the 10d). The good side is you have a solid pair(pocket pairs still can trip on the turn or river so try to play them cheap on flops if you dont flop a set , if there is a raise of ANY kind with at least one overcard; fold), and you have a gutshot straight draw(Ah, Kd, Qs, *, 10d). There is also a back door flush draw but dont count those as real outs. What do you do here? A safe play is check. Three limpers almost guarantees at least one Ace or King out there. Another, more daring move is a continuation bet(dont go overboard on it 9 out of 10 times it will be called or raised). Only in special situations should this be made.
That is just a select situation that can happen in poker. Post some hand histories of any flop situation you want to discuss. The next lesson-Turn play early in tournaments.